A Second Chance
by fangirl3725
Summary: Maxon chose Kriss over America. Is America strong enough to survive this heartbreak? Will she find her own happily ever after?
1. The Choosing

**Hey guys! I know a lot of people have done this type of fanfic but I've been wanting to do this for a while now. Hope you guys enjoy! All rights go to Kiera Cass!**

 _America POV_

"I choose Kriss."

He did it. He chose Kriss. I want to break down in tears right then and there but I'm determined to act like a lady. I fight to put a smile on my face and clap along with the others. _Just 10 minutes._ I think. If I can survive for 10 minutes then I can go to my room and cry my eyes out.

Maxon catches my eyes and he seems smug. That one glance brings on another round of tears, but I blink them back. I give him a small smile and walk to where my family is standing.

"Oh Ames!" May cries. "It'll be ok." I nod and turn to where my mother is standing. "Forget about it America", she says simply. I almost cry out in pain at the thought of forgetting about him. But I know that my mother is just trying to help so I smile gratefully at her instead.

"You're way too good for him anyway", she says, loud enough for Maxon to hear. At that I almost laugh out loud. The lack of truth in the statement is almost amusing. I was the one who didn't deserve Maxon. I hurt him over and over again while he did nothing but cherish me. I would be a fool to think he would have chosen me after all that I did. He could have thrown me out so many times but he let me stay, because he trusted me. And I broke that trust.

"America", someone calls out, jarring me from my memories. I turn and see that it was Kriss. I want to run but I bravely walk towards where she stands with Maxon. "I'm really sorry that you lost America. I hope you're okay", she says, and I can hear the genuine concern in her voice."Don't worry about it Kriss. I'm fine. Congratulations on winning Maxon's heart. You're very lucky." At that statement Maxon winces and I wonder why."Oh I am. Maxon is an amazing man." She starts to list all of Maxon's best qualities, but before she can start, I interrupt her. "I'm sorry Kriss but I'm afraid I have to go. Could we finish this conversation later?" _When Maxon isn't here,_ I add in my mind. "Oh of course America." She turns back to Maxon as I walk away. No one's paying attention to me so I decide to make my escape. But before I can make a move someone steps in front of me. When I look to see who it is I start to turn away.

"America, wait!" Maxon pleads. At the tone of his voice I turn back. "What?" I say, a little too harshly. He recoils slightly but shakes it off."America, I made a mistake. I don't love Kriss. I love you." Before he can continue I interrupt him. "Maxon stop. You chose Kriss. Not me. Maybe you should have thought about your choice a little more."Maxon starts to argue but his face suddenly turns solemn. "You're right", he says coldly. "I don't know what he was thinking. Goodbye America."

He walks away, leaving me standing there frozen. Suddenly I am surrounded by interviewers asking me about how I felt and what I would do know. I feel so overwhelmed that I suddenly burst into tears. I break down and start to sob, not caring about what anyone else thinks. I remember being carried away by my family, but not before seeing the pained look on Maxon's face. I drift off to sleep, his expression etched into my mind.

When I wake up I don't recognize where I am. I scream and suddenly multiple people rush into my room. I recognize them as my family and I sigh.

"Where am I?", I ask, wincing at how broken my voice sounds.

They don't seem to know how to respond to that question. Finally Kenna speaks up. "You're in a house", she says lamely. I start to get annoyed. "I know that I'm in a house", I snap. "What do you think I am, stupid?" My words bring a hurt look to Kenna's face. I immediately feel guilty. "I'm sorry Kenna", I say. "I'm just really confused." "I understand", she says sympathetically. The room becomes silent for a few moments. I can't take the silence and I'm about to burst out again when James speaks. "Well if you want to know where you are, I'll tell you. The house you are currently in is from... from..." At that he becomes silent. I realize who he's talking about and I feel a stab of pain in my heart. "Oh", I say. "I understand."

They all nod and start to walk out the room, no doubt to give me some space. "Wait!", I call out. They turn around in surprise. "How long was I asleep?" I ask. "Well the choosing ceremony was 3 days ago." May says. _3 days! Wow I must have been really tired._ I nod and they slowly file out the room.

I lay down and suddenly the events of the choosing ceremony come back to me. I remember everyone's cheers when Maxon announced Kriss, the flurry of photographers, and our short conversation. That's the one I can't get out of my head. He said that he loved me but his demeanor changed so quickly. My heart clutches to the hope that he does still love me but I know that it is foolish to think that. He chose Kriss. They were going to get married. And I had to accept that. I had to move on. At that thought my heart breaks again and when sleep overtakes me I gladly welcome the distraction.

 **That's the first chapter! I hope you like it! I'll be introducing new POV's in the next chapter. Just an FYI the rebel attack didn't happen.**


	2. Meant to Be

**Hey guys! Here's the next chapter! Hope you like it. All rights go to Kiera Cass!**

 _America POV_

I'm laying in bed when suddenly there is a knock on the door. "Come in", I say weakly.

The door opens and Aspen walks in. I groan, what was I supposed to tell him? Aspen gasps when he sees me. "Wow Mer, you're a mess!" he exclaims. "Really, I didn't notice", I reply sarcastically. Aspen chuckles. Then his face becomes serious.

"Are you ok America?" he says, worry and concern evident in his voice. I don't know what to say, but I know that there is no use lying. "Well things aren't that great, but I'm hoping that they will get better." I wince after I say that, even I know that isn't how I really feel. Apparently Aspen can see that I'm not completely telling the truth as well. "America", he states firmly. "I know that's not how you feel. Please tell me the truth. You can trust me." Hearing him ask me to trust him brings tears to my eyes, that's exactly how mine and Maxon's relationship crumbled to pieces. I start to cry, but not huge sobs like before. As I speak tiny tears fall down my cheeks. "I miss him. I miss him and my heart is breaking into a million pieces. He said he loved me. We were going to get married and I messed that all up with one stupid move. It's all my fault!" The sheer truth of my statement is too much for me. I flop down on the bed and openly cry for everything that I have lost.

I completely forgot that Aspen was here until he speaks up again. "I'm really sorry Mer. I wish I could help." I can tell he is being sincere but it doesn't matter, he can't heal my broken heart. "You can't help! That's the problem! Maxon has Kriss and you have Lucy! Everyone has someone! Everyone except me." I state the last part quietly, true sadness seeping into my voice.

I look up and Aspen looks shocked. "How did you know about me and Lucy?" he asks. "You're not very good at keeping secrets Aspen. I could tell from the moment you started going out with her." I stare down at my bed dejectedly while Aspen is silent. "I'm sorry Mer. I know I said I loved you, but it could have never worked out. Lucy and I are meant to be." He speaks about Lucy with such reverence that I know there is no point arguing. "Don't worry Aspen. You already broke my heart once. I can deal with it." Aspen winces at my words, but doesn't argue. "Besides", I continue. "Maxon is the one for me. I _loved_ him. You were nothing but my first boyfriend." Aspen looks hurt when I finish. I immediately feel guilty. "That doesn't mean that I never loved you", I say gently. "I just realized that you weren't the right guy." Aspen looks relieved, but I can see a twinge of hurt in his eyes. "I-I have to go Mer", he says. "Good luck." He leaves the room, closing the door behind him. I lay back down and duck under the covers, wallowing in my misery.

 _Maxon POV_

I made a mistake. I don't love Kriss, I love America. And because of my pride I let her go. She loved me, that was clear in the way she had acted yesterday. She was just protecting herself from getting her heart broken again. I remember the way she sobbed on the floor yesterday, how her family had to take her away. She had cried because of me. And that hurt more than any bullet wound could. I didn't want to hurt America, and I was a monster if I did. I wanted to be with America, but I had no idea how.

How would I explain it to my father? To Kriss? To the country? And what if America didn't want me back? The thought makes me want to break down right then and there. But I hold myself together, nobody could suspect that I was still in love with America. It would be hard but I would make America my wife. I just needed time.

In the middle of my planning I hear a light knock on the door. I open it and it's Kriss. I sigh, I hated lying to people. "Hello Maxon. How are you?" she asks, leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek. "Quite wonderful dear, especially now that you are here." She giggles and blushes. "Do you want to come and help plan stuff for the wedding?" she asks hopefully. _The wedding,_ I think. _How am I supposed to figure all this out before the wedding?_ I sigh, I had my work cut out for me.

I realize that Kriss is still waiting for a response. "I'm sorry my dear, but I have quite a lot of work to finish up at the office. Perhaps I could join you later." Kriss seems disappointed but she shakes it off. "Of course Maxon. I'll be in your mother's room if you need me." I nod and give her a quick peck on the lips before she leaves. I sigh, kissing Kriss was nice, but it was nothing compared to kissing America. Kissing America made me feel special, like she would have chosen me no matter who I was. Thinking of America brings tears to my eyes but I quickly blink them back. Princes didn't cry. I walk over to my desk and settle down for another long day of work.

 **That was chapter 2! Hope you guys liked it! Will update soon.**


	3. Moving On

**Hey guys! Hope you like the story so far! Here's chapter 3! Everything belongs to Kiera Cass!**

 _America POV_

When I wake up I hear hushed voices from the hallway. I quickly realize that they are talking about me.

"I'm worried about America", Mom says, her voice filled with concern. "We all are Mom. Don't worry though, America's one of the strongest people I know. She'll get through this", Kenna replies soothingly. "You're right. She probably just needs time to recover", Mom says, but I can tell that she still isn't completely reassured. I strain to hear the rest of the conversation but their voices carry away, floating down the hall.

I feel guilty because I know that I am the cause of their concern. I wanted to get out of bed and help them do _something,_ but I didn't know how. I was just so lost. I still loved Maxon but I hated him for breaking my heart. My mind was chaos, but my heart was even more confused. The way he had looked when I was being carried away haunted my memories. His pained expression was so contrasting to the cold, distant one he had worn for the majority of the ceremony. Part of me still clung to the hope that he still loved me and was hurt that he was causing me this pain, but I knew that it was foolish to think that. He had made his decision, and whether he liked it or not, he was going to have to live with it. And so was I.

Suddenly I'm flooded with memories from The Selection- our first kiss, our second kiss, the Halloween ball, the safe room, the roof, the Convicting, the night before the Choosing. It all came back to me. The one that killed me the most was the night before. I had told him I loved him that night. Throughout the whole Selection I had been afraid to confess my feelings, to put myself out in the open like that. But I had trusted him. And he had trusted me. We were going to get married and one move had ruined that. I want to cry but my eyes stay dry. So instead I lie back down on the bed, reliving my time with Maxon, the only piece of him I have left.

I must have drifted off because an hour later I wake up with a start to a knock on the door. The person doesn't even bother to let me respond before bursting through the door. When I see who it is I can't help but smile. It was Celeste. We may have had our rough patches but we were truly friends now. When Celeste sees my appearance she frowns.

"What in hell do you think you're doing America?" she questions me. "You're never going to get another guy looking like that!" Her utter confidence that I would find another man made me grin. No matter how sad you were, you could never stay that way with Celeste in the room. She walks toward me and studies my appearance, muttering under her breath. "Well you've looked better, but it's fixable."

Suddenly there is another knock on the door. Celeste calls for them to come in, and when I see the people walking through the door my grin grows even wider. It's my maids! "Anne, Lucy, Mary!" I cry, reaching out my hands toward them. "My lady!" they scream, running over to me. All of us, even proper Anne, fall on top of each other, laughing and crying. Celeste stands off to the side, watching us with an amused expression. I beckon for her to come and join us. She shakes her head slightly. "This little reunion is cute and all, but if we're going to get America ready by tonight we are going to have to start moving."

My maids quickly pull themselves away and rush into the bathroom getting things ready. "Tonight?" I ask suspiciously. "What's happening tonight?" "Your date of course!" she says, as if this was obvious. Celeste continues before I can object. "You're going. Maxon made his choice. And you can't sit here moping about it forever. Don't worry, I checked the guy's background, you guys would be perfect together!"

When she finishes she looks at me expectantly. I want to argue but I know Celeste will win anyway. Better not to waste my breath. Plus, Celeste is right. I can't live the rest of my life hiding in my room. This might also appease my family's worries. "Ok", I say. "I'll do it." Celeste squeals excitedly. "I knew you'd do it!" she exclaims. I raise my eyebrows but don't object.

Suddenly I am surrounded by my maids and carted off into the bathroom. The pampering that follows is pleasant and reminds me of my days back at the palace. The thought makes me sad, but I shake it off. Maxon may have broken my heart but I wasn't going to let him ruin my life. All too soon my maids are done. When I look in the mirror, I'm shocked at the results. My maids truly did work miracles. They had somehow tames my wild, unruly hair that hadn't been washed in days, concealed the circles under the eyes, and had restored my natural glow. I looked like myself again.

I threw my arms around them and thanked them over and over again. Abruptly I am pulled away by Celeste. "Time to go!" she announces. All of a sudden I am nervous. This was basically like a blind date. I didn't know the guy at all, only what Celeste had told me about him, which wasn't much. I take a deep breath to calm myself. _America, you're worrying for no reason. I'm sure he'll be great._ I nod brightly and manage to put what I hoped was a genuine smile on my face.

I walk into the hallway and am immediately greeted by my family. "America honey you look beautiful!" my mom compliments and I smile gratefully. "Are you ready for your date?" May asks eagerly. I pull back, shocked. "You knew about this!" I screeched. May looks sheepish. "Um..yes. We all did." I whip around to look at the rest of the family. They all wear expressions similar to May's.

"Then why did you keep it from me?" I ask. "Well you've always been extremely headstrong", Mom explains. 'We knew that if we told you, you would immediately reject the idea. So we thought it would be best to let someone we knew you couldn't refuse do the asking", she says, indicating Celeste. "We were worried about you America", Gerad pipes in. "We were just trying to help." Well there was no way I could argue to that. They were just helping me because they loved me, how could I be mad about that? I nod, hoping they could see the understanding and gratefulness in my eyes. "Thank you very much", I say.

Celeste clears her throat and points to her watch, tapping her foot impatiently. "Oh!" I exclaim. "I'm going to be late." My family surrounds me and gives me a quick hug. They wish me good luck and I walk out the door. Maybe I could find someone who I loved as much as I loved Maxon. I just needed to look.

 _Maxon POV_

I'm in my room staring at the pictures on my wall when my mother comes in. I smile and gesture for her to sit on the bed next to me. She perches on the edge of the bed daintily. "You weren't there to help with the wedding planning", she comments. "I know. I'm sorry, I just caught up with some work. _God I hate lying._

"Mmm-hmm", my mother says, clearly seeing through my façade. "Well I learned something through my Selection. Anything is possible, as long as you want it hard enough. I'm sure if you had _wanted_ to help with the wedding plans you could have certainly made time for it." I sigh, my mother knew me better than I know myself.

"Maxon", she says gently. "Love can be difficult. I can see that you like Kriss well enough, but you aren't in love with her." I swear, sometimes it's like my mother could read my mind. "That's true", I admit. 'Then why do you continue on like this Maxon. I understand if you lie to me, but why do you lie to yourself. We both know who you truly love." She pauses, wanting me to say it. "America", I finally say, so quietly that she has to strain to hear it. And that one word lifts a huge burden off my shoulders. Ever since the Choosing Ceremony I had been hiding who I truly loved, and it was a relief to finally share it with someone else. And the fact that that someone else was my mother made it even better.

"Maxon if you truly love her, then you will fix this. Sometimes you have to be separated from someone to truly realize how much you love them." The way she puts my feelings into words is creepy, but I'm thankful that she's saying it instead of me. I remember when America went back to Carolina for her father's funeral. Those three days were pure torture. I kept going to her room, wanting to talk to her, laugh with her, kiss her. And the situation now was infinitely worse. Because I knew that she was coming back. At that moment I made a decision. I would make America my wife, no matter how hard it would be. "Thank you Mom. I know what I have to do now. But I need your help." She nods, looking intrigued. Then I begin to explain my plan.

 **So that's it for chapter 3! Hope you guys liked it! Next chapter will be the blind date! Can't wait!**


	4. The Date

**Yay! Chapter 4! Time for the blind date. Hope you like it! All rights go to Kiera Cass!**

 _America POV_

It's beautiful outside. It's dusk and everything seems calm. The sky is a mix of pink and red and a slight wind rustles the leaves in the trees. I look forward and realize that there is a car parked in the driveway. I look over at Celeste and she smiles innocently, giving me a thumbs ups. I sigh, of course Celeste wouldn't let me walk there.

As I approach the car the driver exits the car and goes around the car to open the door for me. I smile, he was truly a gentleman. Just like Maxon was. For once, thinking of Maxon doesn't make me quite as sad, I'm too excited for my date. 'You look beautiful", the man complimented. "Thank you, but I'm actually going on a date", I say, trying to reject the guy's advances. "Oh I know. I am your date." I stand there frozen, shocked and embarrassed. "I'm really sorry", I apologize. "I didn't know." "Oh it's ok", the man says, smiling easily. "I'm Ethan. And may I tell you, you're even prettier than Celeste described." I blush, pleased by the compliment. "Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself." Ethan smiles, a cute, lopsided smile. "Thank you." He walks toward the car and opens the door, gesturing for me to go inside. "M'lady, please enter", he says jokingly. I giggle and play along. "Thank you kind sir", I say, taking his extended hand.

I step into the car, but not before bonking my head on the top of the door. "Not very graceful, are you?" he jokes. "Not really. I'm working on it." "No need. You're perfect just the way you are." I blush even deeper than before. _What was with me tonight? A simple guy was making me blush so many times. Well, to his defense, he was really nice, and funny. And it's only been 5 minutes. Maybe I could fall in love with someone else._ My thoughts are filled with hope as Ethan climbs in and starts the engine. I wave to my family before we drive away.

As we drive he tells me about himself. Apparently he was studying to be a doctor and had been away in Africa helping kids get proper healthcare for the past few years. Which meant that he didn't know that I had been in the Selection. I feel relieved, at least that meant that he wouldn't look at me in pity every time we spoke.

After he finished he asked me about myself and I told him about my family and my various musical talents. He was a Two but didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that I was just a Five. That made me like him even more. We keep talking about random things, laughing and joking the whole ride. It was so easy to talk to him, I didn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing. We soon reach our destination and see that it is a restaurant. The sign read _The Marquis Diner._ I was impressed, this place looked really fancy. I was really looking forward to our date.

We enter the restaurant and Ethan requests a table for two. She leads us to a secluded corner and we take our seats. "What can I get you?" the server asks. "Some Coke for me." Ethan says. He then looks at me expectantly. "Just water please", I say. She then leaves, giving us time to choose our entrée.

"You could have gotten something else", Ethan says. "Dinner's on me." "Oh. Thank you. Actually I've never tried anything other than water and champagne so I decided to just stick with something familiar." Ethan looks shocked. "You've never had soda before!", he asks incredulously. "Not really. We couldn't really afford it as Fives." I see understanding appear in his eyes. He nods. "Well feel free to try some of mine when it arrives and if you like it you can order dome for yourself." I am taken aback, I've never met a guy who was so kind before. "That's very generous", I reply. "Thank you." "No problem. I'd be honored to buy dinner for a girl like you any day."

I'm immediately disgusted. _Of course. He doesn't care about me. He just cares about my looks._ I shudder, thinking about what he might try. Maybe that's why he had requested a private table. I start making escape plans. Ethan seems to sense my uneasiness. "Are you alright?" he asks, his voice concerned. "Of course not", I say harshly. Ethan recoils but doesn't interrupt. I continue. "I came here thinking that you were a nice guy and now I find out that all you care about is my appearance." When I finish, realization dawns on his face. "When I said I'd be honored to buy dinner for a girl like you any day I didn't mean because you're pretty. You are rather beautiful but it's your personality that is even more inviting. I've never met a girl like you, a girl that' so...so real."

When he finishes he looks at me, waiting for my response. I blush, embarrassed yet again. I couldn't figure out why I was so on edge tonight. "I'm really sorry. I'm just kind of stressed. I really want this to go well." As I say this I realize why I'm acting so strange tonight, I don't want to get my heart broken again. I can tell that Ethan can see that there is more to the story, but he doesn't pry.

Thankfully, he changes the subject and we start a conversation about our favorite things - food, movies, music, etc- basic first date conversation. The rest of the date goes smoothly, we order our food and it's delicious, I have to restrain myself from ordering seconds. I even try a sip of Ethan's coke and am delighted to see that I like it. I order one for myself and drain it in seconds. Instead of staring at me like I'm crazy Ethan merely chuckles and orders another one. I drink that one more deliberately, savoring the taste. We split dessert, a slice of delicious tiramisu cake.

All too soon, the check arrives. I'm surprised to see that I'm disappointed that the date if almost over. I enjoyed that way more than I expected that I would. Ethan was a great guy and liked me for me, flaws and all. And I think I liked him too. We exit the restaurant and get in his car again. But instead of starting the engine Ethan turned to me. I saw that he wore a serious expression and I became nervous.

"Are you ok?" he asks me. "Don't say you are because you were hiding something back there at the restaurant. Please tell me the truth. You can trust me. And I can't trust you if I know you're keeping things from me." I sigh and nod. And then I spill. Everything. About Aspen, Maxon, the Selection, the Choosing, everything. Once I start I can't stop. Somewhere in there I start to cry. Ethan holds me to him, comforting me while I sob into his shirt. Finally I run out of words and my sobs turn into hiccups. I look up at Ethan, afraid to hear the verdict. He would reject me, he wouldn't want to date a girl like me, unstable and possibly still in love with someone else. But his response surprises me.

"Look America", he begins. "I can see that you're a girl with a lot of baggage." I nod, scared to hear the rest. 'And I can see that you are possibly still in love with Maxon." I nod again, not wanting to lie to him. "But", he says. "If you still want to, I would love to still go out with you." At this, I stop breathing. He was actually giving me a chance, even after all that he'd heard. "Really?" I breathe. "Really", he says, giving me a small smile. "You're an amazing girl and they were idiots to give you up." I smile back at him.

We sit there for a moment, lost in thought. Ethan straightens up and so do I. "So what do you say?" he asks. It takes me a minute to realize what he's talking about. "About a second date?" He nods, a hopeful look on his face. "I would love to", I say, a huge grin on my face. Ethan grins back at me and starts the car. Unlike the ride here the car ride back is silent. I go back through the events of the evening and smile slightly. Ethan was the perfect guy and it seemed like he liked me. I start to have hope that I could find love again, possibly with Ethan. I close my eyes, finally at peace.

We reach my house and Ethan parks the car. I start to get out of the car, but Ethan stops me. "I just wanted you to know something", he says. "I would never break your heart", he vows, and I can tell he's being genuine. I smile gratefully at him an get out of the car, wishing him goodbye. He's about to drive away when an idea pops into my mind. "Wait!" I call. Ethan looks at me, surprised. 'Would you like to come in?" I ask shyly. Ethan grins and nods. He exits his car and locks it.

Together we walk up the path that leads to my house, him telling funny jokes that make me laugh. The house is surprisingly quiet, they must be waiting for me. We reach the door and look for my keys in my handbag. I find them and unlock the door quickly. Me and Ethan walk in to an eerie silence and our laughter immediately dies off. We turn the corner and see my family sitting in the living room. But it's the person joining them that makes me take a step back, causing me to run into Ethan, who steadies me. My past has come back to haunt me. It's Maxon.

 **Ok so that was chapter 4! Hoped you liked it! Sorry there was no Maxon POV, the chapter was already getting kind of long. I promise that he will show up in the next chapter. Sorry if America and Ethan's relationship seems to be escalating too quickly. And I'm really sorry for the tiny cliffhanger. Next chapter will be posted soon! Bye! :)**


	5. The Fight

**Hey guys! I'm so, so, so sorry! I'm such a horrible person, I haven't updated in over a month. I just got caught up with school and didn't have time to write. Thanks for bearing with me even with my untimely updates and still reading my fanfic. This chapter is for you guys. (Wow that sounds cheesy :)) I've also gotten multiple comments about how the spacing is making it hard to read so I tried to add more breaks in between the text. It's chapter 5! There will be some Maxerica in this chapter! Hope you guys like it! Kiera Cass owns everything!**

 _Maxon POV_

It's extremely awkward sitting here in the home I gifted America, trying to ignore her family's stares. I hear the lock jiggle and breath a sigh of relief. _She's here._

The door opens and voices float in. I hear America say something and a voice I have never heard before responds. The voice is friendly and is very clearly masculine. My heart breaks a little. _She's with a guy. And she seems to be enjoying herself._

I immediately shake off the negative thoughts and put a smile on my face. America enters the doorway and when she sees me she does a double take. When she realizes it's actually me she steps back in shock, running into the person behind her. I look at the guy, and he's really attractive. He has dark, chocolate brown hair and kind, hazel eyes. His smile is infectious and he just has this presence to him that makes you notice him. He notices me and stiffens. America must have told him about what I did. He probably thinks that I'm the biggest jerk ever for hurting America. And the truth is, I am. America is frozen, still in shock and the guy is glaring daggers at me. Her family is restless, probably just as bothered by the tension as I am.

Finally, I break the silence. 'Hi America", I say.

 _America POV_

 _He's here. But, but how?_ I try to speak but nothing comes out. I'm so in shock I can't even produce coherent sentences. My mind is chaos, thoughts swirling around. "H-Hi", I finally manage to stutter. At the sound of my voice a soft smile tugs on the corners of Maxon's lips. And because of our past, I can't help but to smile back. At that movement Ethan's eyes turn cold and he turns to the door. "I have to go", he says flatly. I start to protest but something in his eyes keeps me from speaking. "Thank you for the amazing dinner." _And for listening to my problems and still accepting me_ I add mentally. "I hope we can get together again soon." Ethan offers me a sad smile. "Maybe", he says, his gaze darting to Maxon. I sigh, my life was so complicated.

I walk him to the door and shut the door behind him. I hear his engine rev and he speeds off into the darkness. I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down before facing Maxon. It doesn't work, my breathing still as shallow as before. I pad down the hall and enter the room. I'm surprised to see Maxon alone, my family must be trying to give us some space.

Maxon doesn't notice my entrance, he's too busy looking at the wall of pictures. I smile, I had gotten the idea after seeing his room. "Beautiful", he breathes so softly that I almost don't hear it. I scan the pictures and blush when I see the image he's staring at. It's one of me and my family dancing around in the living room the day I got Selected. Even my mom had gotten in on the fun. I had a bright smile on my face, joyful even though I didn't want this. I wonder what he thought of it.

I feel awkward staring at him so I clear my throat, alerting him of my presence. He whirls around and seems shocked to see me standing there. "How long have you been standing there?" he asks. "Um..not long", I reply. Maxon nods slightly, but doesn't say anything. The silence that follows is unbearable. I want to say something but I don't want to say the wrong thing. I brush off invisible dust clinging to my dress and tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear, unable to stay still. I look at the ground, waiting for him to say something.

 _Maxon POV_

She looked so adorable standing there, her small hands smoothing down her beautiful dress, tucking a strand of her lovely hair behind her ear. Her cheeks are flushed and her lips are slightly parted as she stands there, waiting for me to speak. Is it possible that she became even more beautiful since the last time I saw her? I then realize that she's waiting for me to say something. I search my mind for something to say, but nothing comes up. _Shoot. I had a whole speech prepared. Well I guess I'll just have to wing it._

"America", I start. She looks up at the sound of her name and her icy blue eyes connect with mine. And that's all it takes. All my preparation flies out the window. It's just me and her. "America", I repeat. "I made a mistake. A huge, thoughtless mistake that I will never be able to correct. But I'm going to try." Her expression remains blank, not changing. I continue, ready to make myself a fool if it means getting her back. "I love you. You, not Kriss. I thought I loved Kriss but that was just my pride getting in the way. When I saw you with Officer Leger my heart broke." At my words a twinge of hurt enters America's eyes. I quickly change direction. "I foolishly chose Kriss, thinking she made me happy. But that is far from the truth. _You_ are the only one who can make me happy, without you there is no reason to live." I swallow, I hate to make myself this vulnerable, but for America it was worth it. "I love you and I want to be with you forever." America still doesn't react. She stands there, her face changing emotions so quickly I can barely catch them. It goes from sadness to love to regret to hopefulness before finally settling on a blank poker face. I tense, afraid for her response.

"Maxon", she starts and the sound of my name makes me smile. "You don't know how happy I am that you feel this way. I've been wondering since the Choosing Ceremony whether or not you loved me." I smile at the fact that she realizes that I do love her. "But", she continues. At that one word my heart sinks, my hope crushed. She doesn't love me anymore. It takes all my strength to not break down then and there. "You don't love me", I object, my voice breaking slightly on the last word. At this, she looks shocked. "Of course I do. How could you ever even think that? That's the part I hate. On one hand I'll hate you forever for breaking my heart. But on the other side, I'll love you forever. There's no way I couldn't."

I exhale, visibly relieved. I was so crushed at the thought that she didn't love me, you have no idea how grateful I was to find out that it was false. And then my face fell, remembering her words from before. There was a catch. And I was about to find out what it was. "But", she continues. "I don't know if I could ever fully trust you again." I'm about to object, but she rushes on before I can say something. "I know the trust issue thing is two-sided but please let me finish." Something in her tone keeps me from cutting in. I nod imperceptibly. "I don't know if I could ever trust you again. For all I know you could decide you're bored with me and start loving another woman. I just, I can't stand for you to break my heart again." Her voice grows weaker and weaker as she goes on, like she's on the verge on tears. By the end, it's nothing but a soft whisper.

I process her words and am shocked. _How could she be so absurd as to think that I would stop loving her? I can't stop loving her, even when we're dead I'll keep loving her._ "How could you even think like that America?" I ask. "I will never stop loving you, there's no possible way I could. That's why I'm here today. You are my soulmate, without you I'm not complete. Will you take me back?" By the end of my little speech my voice had turned pleading, begging her to understand.

"I-I'm so confused Maxon. I need some time to think. I-I just can't..." Her voice trails off and she starts crying, tears streaming down her face. It breaks my heart to see America so confused and in such pain. I move towards her, intent on brushing her tears away and comforting her. I reach her in one long stride and wrap her in my arms. At first she resists but after a few seconds she relaxes, content in my arms. I whisper soothing words in her ears until her tears dry out. I look at her and am again taken aback by her utter beauty. Even though she had been crying only seconds before she looks breathtaking. Her eyes are bright and her face glows.

Suddenly America tenses in my arms. "We shouldn't be doing this", she objects. "You're engaged to Kriss, this is treason." I laugh quietly. "I'm the crown prince America. I could hardly get hanged." She's still frozen. "Neither could you", I assure her, and she relaxes. "This is nice", she admits quietly. My heart swells, she does love me. I sit there, rocking her back and forth gently, content on staying like this forever.

"As much I love this moment I still have my worries." I sigh, I knew she wouldn't give up so easily. She stands up and I let her go reluctantly. "As much as I want to trust you completely, I don't want to suffer again." "How could you even think that America? I already told you, I could never stop loving you." "I know. But I'm just trying to look out for myself." At this point she's almost screaming, her voice defensive. We both had short tempers and I didn't want this to turn into a fight, so I try to keep my voice gentle. "Stop doubting me America. I told you, I love you. Why can't you just trust me?" I hadn't been successful, my voice was almost as loud as hers.

"I'm trying to. But after you chose Kriss I was heartbroken. I can't bear to go through again." Her voice sounds so broken whenever she talks about that, tempting me to give in. I shake my head. _Two can play at this game._ "That may be true. But what about you and that other guy? Ethan? How do I know there is nothing going on between you two. If you really love me that much how could you move on so quickly?" My speech is full of accusements, but I need to know.

"There's nothing going on there. It was our first date for God's sake! And Celeste set me up on that date, how could I refuse?" I had to admit, her reasoning was pretty logical. But I refused to back down. 'You could have tried. And what's so special about this guy anyway?" "Have you met Celeste? She's pretty damn hard to refuse. _Woah she must be really mad. I've never heard her curse._ And Ethan's a great guy - nice, smart, and he accepted me, flaws and all. Unlike some people." At that I'm furious. It's obvious that America regrets saying that, as she tries to take it back. But I'm not listening.

"I see how it is", I say calmly. "I hope you and Ethan have a nice time together." And I walk out.

As I exit the room I hear America burst into tears, begging me to come back and apologizing profusely. I yearn to turn back and comfort her but my pride keeps me moving forward. As I leave the house I feel a strange sense of deja vu. This reminds me exactly of what happened on the morning o the Choosing Ceremony- me walking out and America crying.

As I climb into the limousine waiting for me around the corner I realize what I have done. I curse myself to the deepest pits of hell. I did it again. My pride got the better of me. I almost had her but i ruined it. And now she's crying, and probably hates me even more. I debate running all the way back to her house and begging for her forgiveness but we're already at the castle. _It's probably for the best_ I think. _Father will be wondering where I am. And I should talk to Mom before I try going back again._ I take a deep, cleansing breath and enter the castle, heading for the one place where I can find true comfort. My mother's room.

 **And that's it for chapter 5. Hope you guys like it. I tried to write an extra-long chapter to make up for my absence. And don't worry, the ending will be Maxerica. But what's a story without a little drama? Anyway hopefully I can update more constantly but we'll just have to see. Happy late Halloween btw. :)**


	6. Love is Inconvenient

**Ok guys. So here's chapter 6. I think I'm going to be doing weekly updates, most probably on the weekends. I'm going to try this out and see how it goes. Hope you guys like this next chapter! All rights go to Kiera Cass!**

 _America POV_

He did it again. He left.

I know that love is inconvenient, but this..this is torture. One minute I feel like we have it, but then, by the next minute, we've lost it.

I know in my core that I love him and will always love him, but sometimes I wish that I could forget about it. I wish that I could start over. The pain is excruciating. And the fact that he loves me too just makes it worse. It's ok if I suffer. But the thought of him struggling, it breaks me. He doesn't deserve to feel this agony. This is all my fault. I messed it up once, and now I messed it up again.

 _How could I even doubt for a second that he loved me?_ I could see it in his face, hear it in his voice - he loved me. He admitted that he made a mistake, but instead of forgiving him I made him feel even worse.

Our love is difficult, but maybe it is too broken to be fixed. Maybe this is for the best. Maxon belongs with Kriss, she's the best for him and she's the best for the monarchy. I'm wild and temperamental - I would just wreak havoc. Maxon needs someone to comfort him, he doesn't need someone to cause him even more stress. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe we aren't good together. Maybe I should just give up.

That thought releases a fresh wave of tears. The idea that Maxon and I aren't meant for each other kills me. I can't live without him. But love means sacrifice. If me not being with him means that he will be happy, then so be it. I would die for him. But now is just a matter of seeing if I can stay away.

Then I cry, really cry. I cry for all that I have lost and for what could have been. I cry for Dad, for Maxon, and for myself. I'm already dead. Trying to stay away from Maxon will be my own personal hell. I might as well give up now. I entertain the idea. All it would take is a correctly placed bullet wound or some poison. It wouldn't be hard. But I shove the idea away when I think of what would happen. My family, they would break. They wouldn't be able to handle it. They already lost Dad, me dying right after him would just sink them deeper into their depression.

And Maxon, oh Maxon. If he loves me as much as he says he does, then this would kill him. I couldn't inflict such pain upon him.

So suicide was out. It was selfish. It may rid me of my pain, but it would just transfer that misery to someone else.

There was only one option. I had to suck it up and keep going. I had amazing friends and a supporting family. I would be alright. My mind drifts to Ethan. And maybe I could try again.

 _Ethan POV_

I was confused. She had told me how he had broken her heart and it was clear how distressed she was. But still, as soon as he show up again, she falls right back into his arms. _Why?_ This thought plagues me the whole ride home. Sure he was a prince, but he didn't deserve her. I had only been on one date with her, but I realized what a catch she was. I had never met a girl so beautiful, and so real.

She didn't care about what others thought of her, she did her own thing. I had met many girls in the past, but never someone quite like her. I didn't know what was going to happen next, but one thing was for sure. I liked her, and I was going to fight for her. I wasn't sure what about her made her so worth it, but I couldn't stand to see her suffer. She may have loved the prince at a point, but right now she was open to possibilities. And I was one of those possibilities.

She had to choose someone eventually. And I would do everything in my power to make her see that I was perfect for her, that I would love her forever, unconditionally. And I would. This wasn't some ploy to get her to fall in love with me and then use her. I wasn't some pervert. I knew what love was. I had tasted it before. My thoughts turn bitter as her face flashes in my mind. Love was inconvenient. You had to fight for it. And that's exactly what I was planning to do.

America was so many things. She wasn't perfect, but she was perfect for me.

 **And that was chapter 6. Hope you liked it. Sorry it was kind of short. Read and review your thoughts. Bye!**


	7. Acceptance

**Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated in like a week and a half. I really suck at updating regularly. Also I was just relaxing during the break for a little while. Anyway here is chapter 7 (i can't believe I'm already at chapter 7, can you?). This chapter will be a little conversation between Maxon and his mother. I hope you guys enjoy! KC owns everything!**

 _Maxon POV_

I walk quickly towards my mother's room, head down, in the hopes that I won't be noticed. But of course, considering that I'm the prince, that is not possible. I know that going to visit my mother is hardly a crime, but I was hoping for a bit of privacy. Obviously, that wasn't going to happen. Numerous maids and butlers bow to me on my way to my mother.

As I think about what I'm planning to say the fear kicks in. My mother is the most trustworthy person I knew, but if our conversation was leaked, even accidentally, the consequences would be immense. If my father was ever to know... I shudder, not even wanting to consider it. It was very rare that a prince second guessed his choice at princess. In fact, it had never happened before.

America had been important to my father during the Selection, a gateway to an easy alliance with Italy. But now that I had chosen Kriss she was in extreme danger. And if I turned around and chose her instead, who knew what my father would do. Knowing him, he wouldn't hesitate to have her eliminated. I shudder at the thought of my precious America dying. Nobody quite knew my father like I did, I was the one who was subject to his lashings. Nobody quite understood his capacity, his ability to do whatever it took to get what he wants. And right now he wanted America gone. Forever.

For now he was ok with America just staying away from the palace. If I wanted to protect her I would have to be brave and just marry Kriss, no matter the repercussions. But I was too selfish to deny myself the one thing I had ever wanted, love. I'm suddenly furious with myself. What sort of man was I, basically delivering my true love to her execution? If I was even halfway decent I would suck it up and marry Kriss. But I wouldn't. That's where my mother came in.

I reached my mother's room and knocked softly, praying that she would be in. And alone.

The door swings open revealing my mother's smiling face. I looked around and spotted Kriss on her couch, sipping from a cup of tea. _Damn it._ Luckily, she hadn't noticed me yet.

"Maxon!" my mother said. "What brings you here? Me and Kriss were just enjoying a light snack. Would you like to join us?" My mother was gracious and poised, ever the perfect queen, even when she was just talking to her son.

Kriss perks up when she hears my name, momentarily distracted by the sight of me. _Great, so much for her not noticing me._ Don't get me wrong, Kriss was a sweet girl who any man would be lucky to have. But she wasn't the one for me. There was only one person who could even come close. And I had just left her crying. Again. _God I was an asshole._

"Actually Mother", I started. "I was wondering if you and I could talk. Alone." I added the last part firmly, hoping that she would catch on.

Thankfully understanding dawned in her eyes and she nodded slightly. "Of course", she replied smoothly.

"Kriss", she called as she turned towards her. "Do you mind if we continue our conversation later? Me and Maxon have some things we need to discuss."

"Of course", she replied politely. "Thank you for the tea. It was delicious."

"Oh don't thank me dear", my mother said, laughing lightly. "Thank the maids. It is their doing after all."

Kriss laughed along quietly. "Ok. Well then I will get going. I wouldn't want to hold you up."

She curtsied to me and my mother, and then walked up and gave me a light peck on the cheek before leaving the room.

"So", my mother says, sighing heavily. 'It seems like we have some things to discuss."

I understand why my mother is tired. Putting on an act is quite exhausting, and its nice to just let loose, even for a short while. No matter what people may think, being a royal is difficult. Nothing like the endless dresses and parties that are suggested in the movies. Though I have to admit their interpretations of royal families are quite amusing.

"Yes", I replied. "I have one favor to ask before we continue though. None of this shall be repeated to anyone else. Though I have a feeling that won't be a problem."

"Of course Maxon", she replied easily. "But please, don't act so formal with me. I'm your mother for goodness sakes." I realized that she was right. Sometimes the act felt so natural that I forgot to let go of it when I was with her or other people who I could trust.

"I was hoping that you would say that. I have some matters that I would like to talk about. Matters of the heart to be specific." After I confess that last part I can breath a little easier. Despite being a Four previously my mother was extremely smart. She would understand what I was talking about just from those words alone.

"Aaah", my mother says, her voice laced with realization. "I see. And what exactly are we talking about?"

At those words I spill. Everything. How I waited at America's house, her coming home with that Ethan guy, looking at her wall of pictures, how beautiful America had looked, our little moment, our argument, and - most embarrassingly - how I had left her crying. I held nothing back.

My mother's eyes hardened as I got to the part where I had left when she was still sobbing. I couldn't say I wasn't surprised, I had been a complete jerk back there. Words are not enough to explain how ashamed I am of myself.

"Well it seems that we've got quite a situation on our hands", my mother starts. She laughs lightly without humor. "So from what you're saying I'm guessing the plan didn't work?"

I shake my head somberly no. We had created a plan. A quite simple one actually. I would go America's house and make my feelings for her clear, even begging for her forgiveness if need be. I hadn't predicted that it would turn into a mess. We hadn't factored both of our strong tempers into the equation. If we had I had a feeling that our plan would be a lot more developed. My mother and I had thought our straightforward plan would be enough and America would take me back, therefore solving my problems. I should have known that was too good to be true.

"So what do I do?" I ask plainly. I wince at how weak my voice sounds. But, unlike what I would usually do, I don't try to hide it. This is just a honest conversation between a mother and a son. No need to act so strong. My mother was the one person who I could be myself in front of. My father expected an obedient son and the country expected a gracious prince. But my mother held no such expectations. She was my safe haven. She didn't judge me, just loved me for who I was. And I was eternally grateful for that.

"Honestly Maxon, I don't know. But I do know that you have to start by apologizing. America deserves at least that." Her voice is soft as she talks about America. I can tell that she was crushed when I didn't choose her, it was quite obvious that she was always partial towards her. But she had accepted Kriss as her own quite easily. That's why my mother was the perfect queen. She didn't ask for anything, she accepted whatever she got and moved on.

"You're right", I admit. "I was a complete bastard. I - I just got so angry. I didn't know what to do. But I know now that I made the worst possible decision possible." I say this freely without restraint, not afraid of what my mother will say. Whatever it is there's no doubt that I deserve it.

"It's ok Maxon", my mother said soothingly. "It happens to everyone. And everyone knows that one half of apologizing is accepting your mistakes. So you're already 50% there."

I laugh halfheartedly at my mother's attempt to lighten the mood. But her words bring a smile to my face. My mother always knew just how to feel better. First it was if I got a scratch from falling down. Then she comforted me if I had a fight with friends. After that she helped me adjust to the ever-present cameras. And now this, helping with girl problems. I laugh silently at the absurdity of the situation.

The room is silent for a moment as I contemplate my mother's words as she rubs small circles on my back. My mother finally breaks the silence.

"Maxon. We need a new plan."

I smile at her bluntness. "That we do", I agree.

"But we can't do it alone", I continue. "We need help. And I know exactly where we can get it."

 **Sorry for the pretty uneventful chapter. It was more of a filler chapter. I just needed Maxon to really realize what he'd done and for him and Amberly to have a talk. I also wanted to showcase the relationship between Maxon and his mom. Amberly will be playing a bigger part through the rest of the fic. And we may see some more familiar faces. ;) Anyway read and review your thoughts or anything you might want to see happen. Bye!**

 **Btw Tomorrow's Thanksgiving!**


	8. An Explanation

**Hey guys! I'm sorry it's been a while since I have updated. (wow, I just realized that I've said this same thing every time I've posted a new chapter) This is chapter 8 and I will be introducing some new POVs in this chapter. I hope you guys like it! As always, all rights go to KC!**

 _Marlee POV_

Carter and I were just about to settle in for the night when a knock sounded on the door. I looked over at Carter quizzically. _Who could be visiting at this hour?_ He merely shrugged, apparently just as confused as I was. I was hesitant to open the door. Only a few people, including Maxon, knew we still lived here. Ever since we had supposedly been banished to Panama we had been living in secret, thanks to Maxon. Carter smiled reassuringly and motioned for me to open the door.

I moved towards the door and peeked through the little hole at the top. The person I saw through the hole quelled my anxiety, but increased my confusion. _What on Earth was Maxon doing here? It was nearly midnight._ I quickly unlocked the door to let him in.

Before I could even completely open the door Maxon flew through the door and took a seat on our small bed. I quickly shut the door and turned towards him. He looked nothing like his usual self. His hair was tousled and his eyes were rimmed red, a wild look in their eyes. I frowned. _Had he been crying?_ I was about to voice my concerns when Carter beat me too it.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?" he asked politely, an undertone of worry in his voice.

"Please, call me Maxon. I'm fine. It's just been a crazy evening." His voice was weary and broke slightly at the end. My frown deepened. Something was definitely wrong. And I was determined to find out what it was.

"Maxon, what's wrong?" I asked sternly.

Maxon looked up at me and sighed deeply.

"I promise I'll explain in a second. Just, give me a second to think." I nodded understandingly. "Do you need anything?" I asked hospitably.

"Some water if you have it", he asked. I quickly flitted to the corner of the room and poured him a glass of water from the jug sitting on the table. I handed it to him and he smiled gratefully before taking a sip. The water seemed to do him some good. It relaxed the crazed look in his eyes and added some color to his face. He drained the cup quickly and set it aside. He then turned to us.

"I suppose I owe you some answers. After all, I did barge into your room at the middle of the night", he said. He laughed wearily, poorly attempting to lighten the mood. Neither I nor Carter cracked a smile. Something was up and we were going to do our best to help. He had saved us from death and exile, the least we could do was try to aid him with whatever was going on right now.

Maxon sighed deeply once and then launched into his explanation. He told us all about how choosing Kriss was a bad decision and how he regretted it. I couldn't help but smile at that part. I liked Kriss well enough, but I always knew that Maxon and America were meant to be together. I'm glad that he had realized that.

He then moved onto his botched attempt at getting her back just a couple of hours ago. The smile disappeared from my face during that section of the story. I burned with anger when Maxon told us about how he had left her crying. I glared at him throughout that entire part. I couldn't believe that he had the nerve to hurt America. Again. I of all people knew what a generous and giving person Maxon was, but at times he was just as bad as all the other guys. This was one of those times.

Maxon noticed my expression. "Not my best moment", he said jokingly. My glare only heightened in anger. I could accept the fact that he had made a mistake, but I wasn't going to let him joke about it. America was my best friend in the whole wide world. She hadn't pried when I had acted strange during the Selection and she had tried to save me during the caning, not caring about the repercussions of that decision. She was the sweetest and most loyal friend a girl could ask for. I couldn't stand to see her hurt.

Maxon finished his story and then the room settled into a heavy silence. He looked at us expectantly, as if he was waiting for us to say something. After an excruciatingly long silence, I spoke up.

"Thank you for telling us all this, but I'm confused why you did so", I say, completely lost. Carter nods, apparently wondering the same thing.

"Ah. I actually need your help. I spoke to my mother about this earlier and she completely agreed with you on the fact that I screwed up really badly. We are creating a plan. A plan to make sure that America is my wife. And I was wondering if you could help." He looks at us hesitantly, as if he's afraid we'll refuse. _God sometimes Maxon can be so clueless._

Carter speaks on behalf of both of us once again. "Of course we'll help Maxon. How could you even think otherwise?"

"Carter is right. America was my best friend. I can't stand to see her so upset. And you've helped us through so much. The least we can do is ensure that you get you're own happily ever after as well", I pipe up, my voice passionate.

Maxon nods and for the first time tonight a grin surfaces on his face. "Thank you so much. I feel horrible for what I did tonight. I love her so much, despite my actions tonight. All I know is that America is the only one who deserves to be my queen. And I won't stop until she is." Maxon's voice fills with emotion whenever he talks about America. And he looks as if he is on the verge of tears again. I smile, they were perfect for each other.

"I'm sorry", Maxon apologizes. "I didn't mean to get so emotional. It just happens." And to his credit, he doesn't even look the least bit ashamed.

"Get emotional whenever you want Maxon. It helps me realize that you truly do love her. But I'm warning you. Break her heart and you'll never walk again."

"Are you threatening me Mrs. Woodwork?" he asks amusedly, raising his eyebrows.

"Maybe I am", I state simply, a mischievous glint in my eyes.

"Consider me warned then", he says chuckling.

"Ok you two. Stop flirting", Carter says good-naturedly, laughing.

"No need to worry about any competition Mr. Woodwork. I'm all yours", I say slyly. And to prove my point, I lean in and kiss him. Even after all this time I'll never get tired of kissing my husband. His lips were warm and made my insides feel all mushy. I sigh involuntarily and moved to deepen the kiss, running my hands through Carter's hair. Someone coughed and I blushed, remembering that we weren't alone. I slowly pull myself away from Carter. I smooth down my hair and turn to face Maxon again, a tinge of pink still lingering on my cheeks.

"Sor-", I start to say, but Maxon interrupts me.

"Don't apologize, I get it." Maxon's eyes soften wistfully and I know he's thinking about America. He quickly regained his composure. "But I'd appreciate it if you could wait until after I'm gone to resume your activities", he says jokingly.

"Of course", I agree.

"Actually, I do have to get going. It's getting quite late and there's a few more stops I need to make tonight. I'll visit again soon, once I have contacted the others. And then we can begin to formulate a plan. Thanks so much for helping me. I owe you one."

"Actually I believe it's us who owe you one", Carter says. "And no need to thank us, we would do anything for you and America." He glances at me and I nod vigorously, agreeing with him.

Maxon smiles gratefully and gets off of the bed, heading towards the door. "Thanks again. Goodnight", he calls out, before shutting the door.

"Goodnight", Carter and I chorus back. I lock the door behind him. I turn around to see my husband lying on the bed with a sly grin on his face.

"How about we continue those activities", he says seductively. I giggle, my insides melting just at the thought of it.

"I would love to", I purr. I then race to the bedside and climb on next to Carter. He pulls me on top of him and brings his lips to mine. I sigh in pleasure and pull him closer to me. I kiss him hungrily, not wanting to ever stop.

It's safe to say that we didn't get very much sleep that night.

 **So did you like it? It was fun to write from Marlee's POV. I also enjoyed writing the little pieces of fluff between Marlee and Carter. There will be more of that coming. I'm debating whether or not I should have Marlee try to visit America somehow. Let me know you're thoughts on that. Next chapter will be the first meeting of the Maxerica club. Sorry, I'm still trying to think of a name for it. Review or PM me any ideas you have. Bye!**


	9. Searching

**Hey guys! First of all, I'm sorry I've been MIA for so long. I just got so busy with the end of school and holidays that I didn't have time to update. School is starting again so I won't be able to update but I'll promise to try and get in an update every 1-2 weeks. Thanks for all of you guys who continued to read this story even though I updated really slowly. And without further ado, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! All rights reserved to KC!**

 _Maxon POV_

I throw my hands up in frustration. _Where were they?_ I've been searching for America's maids for hours. I wanted to invite them to the first meeting of the Maxerica club. Yes, I know it is a bad name but I'm hoping we can come up with a better one at the first meeting.

I wasn't sure if America's maids would appreciate seeing me now considering I had just broken their lady's heart, but I didn't have any other option. Besides, they could hardly refuse their crown prince. I hated using my title to get others to help me, but America was far too important.

I circled the palace once more and there was still no sight of America's maids. Out of patience, I spotted a maid scurrying down the hall in the opposite direction, her head down and her hands full of dishes.

A burst of inspiration hit me and I walked up behind the maid. I cleared my throat deeply and asked "Pardon me, but could you help me?" Caught off guard the maid whirled around to face me, dropping everything in her hands in the process. I quickly bent down and helped her clean up, placing the dishes gently in her arms. "Sorry for startling you miss but do you think you could do me a favor?" I asked sweetly.

"Of-of course Your Highness", she replied shakily, smoothing down her dress in the hopes to look more presentable. I had a hunch that she had never been addressed directly by a member of the royal family.

"Do you by any chance know the whereabouts of the former maids of Lady America?" I inquired. She looked puzzled so I quickly added more details.

"Their names are Anne, Mary, and Lucy", I clarified. I smiled internally at myself for successfully remembering the names of her maids. I remembered the time she got shot during the Selection and I didn't even know the name of her head maid who had stitched her back up. I had then learned all their names in the efforts to be more polite. Plus I wanted to get to know the girls who took care of my love.

Understanding dawned on her face. Then she looked troubled for a second, but that expression disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

"I'm sorry your Highness, but they aren't here", she said apologetically.

"Where are they?" I queried.

"They are at Lady America's house. Queen Amberly permitted it.", she answered. Her face didn't show at sigs of pain or sympathy. I gave a sigh of relief, my secret was still safe.

"Do you by any chance know when they will be back?" I asked. She shook her head no.

There was no way I was going back to America's house, not after the state I had left her in. I guess I would just have to wait for her maids to return. Meanwhile I could start recruiting other members.

"Thank you for your help-", I paused, not knowing her name.

"Alice", she supplied.

"Thank you Alice", I said with a smile.

She smiled back in return.

"Well, I'll need to get back to my work", I said. She nodded her head and turned around to leave.

I turned around to leave but before I could take a step 3 words were whispered into my ear.

"She's a keeper."

I turned around in surprise. But all I saw was the back of the maid, walking down the hallway.

I stood there frozen in shock. _Were people still rooting for America? Even after the competition was done?_

I was completely appalled. I knew that the people had loved America, but I didn't think they adored her this much. I always knew she was meant to be more than a Five.

I walked dejectedly back to my room. I felt quite useless. America's maids had been my next stop for members of the Maxerica club, and now that they weren't here I didn't know what to do. I could go back to my office and work, but I didn't think I would get anything accomplished. And I wasn't in the mood to face my father's wrath.

He's done so many cruel and heartless things to me. But the worst part is I can't blame him for the situation at hand. This was all my fault. I felt the tears form behind my eyes. I blinked them back furiously while racing back to my room. I refused to let anyone see me cry.

In my haste I wasn't looking where I was going, and in result ran right into someone. When I stood back I realized that it was an officer. I was about to apologize and leave when I notice his tag. It was Leger! Memories came rushing back to me. The morning of the Choosing. Her hand on his chest. In what I now realized was defense, but in what I had assumed as lust at the time. My heart had broken in half that morning. And there was only one person who could fix it.

I must have stood there longer than I realized because Leger spoke up.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" he asked politely. I could sense the strain he was under to remain civil. He hated my guts, I could tell. But he had to put on a mask in front of the other guards and palace staff.

I was about to reply when I had a brilliant idea.

"Yes I am. But would you mind talking with me in my room real quickly?" I asked.

I could see the battle in his head. On one hand he hated me for hurting America. But on the other hand he had to obey his crown prince. A glance at the guards nearby eyeing us seemed to make the decision for him.

"Of course Your Highness", he replied, a hard edge to his voice.

I gestured for him to follow me. He trailed behind me as I led the way to my room. I didn't speak and neither did he. The only sound was the sound of our feet thudding on the carpet and the occasional staff member hurrying off somewhere.

We reached my room after a couple minutes. I opened the door and, like a true gentleman, motioned for Officer Leger to step through first. He marched stiffly into my room and stood there as I closed the door.

"Please take a seat on my bed", I said. "I have a few things to discuss with you."

"Could you please make it fast? I do have a job to get back to", he said in an annoyed voice, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Now that his fellow officers weren't around he had no reason to be pleasant. Other than the fact that I was the future king of Illéa.

"May I remind you that you are speaking to your future king", I said sternly.

"Pssh! As if!" he exclaimed. "You don't even know how to treat a girl properly, so let's hold off on the whole ruling shit for a while shall we?"

 _Ouch. That was a low blow._

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't speak with a little bit of respect", I replied.

"You left the girl you were planning on married crying", he shot back.

"Twice", I muttered under my breath shamefully. Apparently I wasn't quiet enough. Either that or Leger had amazing hearing.

"What! You're kidding me. You disgusting mongrel! You claim to love her! How could you just leave her in tears?" He was starting to get angry, his voice increasing in volume. Thank God these walls were soundproof.

I processed his words and exploded.

"I do love her! I love her more than my own life! Too much even! I never wanted to leave her. I was heartbroken after I saw you two together. I just didn't know what to do." My voice was pitiful and very weak.

To my surprise, Leger completely changed the direction of the conversation. "You can't ever love anyone too much", he said quietly.

"Pardon me?" I asked.

"You can't love anyone too much. It's either not enough or just right. But there's no such thing as too much. I knew I felt that way about Mer. And now Lucy."

"Lucy as in America's maid?" I asked incredulously. He nodded silently.

Suddenly a wave of relief flooded over me. I had been worried that something was wrong with me. I was prepared to take a bullet for America, die for her even. Thanks to Leger, I now know that it was completely normal. The reminder of his relationship with America stung a little but I ignored it.

"Thank you Officer Leger. That was great advice", I said sincerely. He nods once. I then realized that I didn't remember his first name. I tried to glance at his tag discreetly but before I could get a clear view Officer Leger interrupted me.

"Aspen."

"Hmm?" I asked.

"My first name. I saw you looking."

My cheeks turned red, embarrassed to be caught in the act.

"I'm not much for stealth. I would make a horrible ninja", I admitted.

"Well then it's a good thing you're a prince", he joked.

I laughed and so did he. It felt good to finally understand him. The fact that he wasn't in love with America anymore definitely made him more tolerable. Our laughter died out and silence descended upon the room.

"I actually had something I wanted to talk to you about", I said, breaking the silence.

"Okay", he said.

I looked at all the pieces in my head, trying to figure out the best way to assemble the puzzle. Our relationship was still incredibly tense, so one wrong word could ruin this and he would never help.

I figured out how to explain the situation to him. Now the only thing to do was tell him and hope he'd agree to join the club.

 **And...done! I was planning on putting the conversation between them two in this chapter but it was already getting pretty long. So I'm going to put that in the next chapter. It will be Aspen's POV. Stay tuned! And don't forget to review! Bye!**


	10. A Newfound Friendship

**Hey guys! I'm back for chapter 10. I'm technically supposed to be doing homework right now, but I decided to write a new chapter for you guys instead. Enjoy! And, as always, Kiera Cass owns everything.**

 _Aspen POV_

Maxon seems to be having some sort of internal struggle, his eyebrows are furrowed and his lips are pursed. I sigh, as much as I _love_ chatting with the prince, I do have to get back to my rounds. After a few more seconds of watching Maxon debate with himself in his head, my patience runs out.

"Just spit it out Maxon", I huff

Maxon's head snaps up, his eyes meeting mine. The look in his eyes scares me a little. They are frantic and seem to hold an ancient grief. This is my first clue that whatever Maxon was having trouble telling me was pretty important.

"Maxon, just tell me", I say a little more gently, straining to keep the irritation out of my voice.

Maxon gnaws on his lip for a second and then realizes a short breath. "It's America", he confesses. He then bites his tongue, almost as if he was physically restraining himself from saying more, from saying too much.

At the sound of America's name, I go stiff. I may be with Lucy now, but that doesn't mean that I won't always love her like family. And the things Maxon had done to her were inexcusable. Leading her on just to betray her in the end. It was absolutely sick.

" _What_ about America?" I ask through gritted teeth. Maxon shifts backward a little, putting some distance in between the two of us. And maybe I imagined it, but I see a look of fear go through his eyes as he catches sight of the expression of my face. I had no doubt that it was menacing and very, very protective. My reasons for protecting America were different now. I no longer had to protect her from getting too close to Maxon. That had already happened. I had to protect her from getting her heart broken again.

"I just...", he trails off. He then takes a deep breath and lets out a quick jumble of words. "IstillloveAmerica." They were quick, but not too quick for my highly-trained ears to catch. At his words, I became furious.

"How dare you?" I spit. "You broke her heart. You didn't see her after the Choosing ceremony. She was an utter mess, laying in bed for three days straight! And the way she had her arms wrapped around herself, as if she was trying to keep herself together. You have no right to go and try and win her back!" The majority of my speech had consisted of me shouting at him, but I pronounced the last line quietly, enunciating each word to make sure he understood.

"But I have to!" Maxon bursts. "I was an absolute idiot when I didn't choose her. I can't live without her! I realize that now." His expression is pained and he inhales quickly before continuing. "And you're wrong. I did go and see her. To try and get her back, actually. And do you know what I saw? I saw her with another guy!" Maxon's body is shaking violently, but he takes a deep breath and calms himself down before I have to intervene.

It takes me a second to process his words. When I do, my mouth drops open in shock. How could she have moved on so quickly? Even with me, it took her much longer. But three days! And back at her house America had looked completely broken. How had she managed to get herself together in order to go on a date?

Maxon must have seen the questions on my face because he speaks up. "She claims Celeste made her do it. But how can I be sure? How can I be sure that she still loves me? When we talked afterward she said she did. But how can I be sure?" he repeats, his voice hysterical.

"Maxon, calm down", I instruct, my guard training kicking in. "I can't help you if you go crazy", I say with a humorless chuckle.

Maxon stopped breathing. "You- you're going to help me?" he asks incredulously.

"Of course I am", I said promptly. I couldn't believe I had just said that. But it was true. How could I not? I had gone through the same thing just a couple of months ago and had found my happily ever after. It's only fair that Maxon found his.

"Why?" Maxon asks hesitantly, probably fearing that I will change my mind.

"Because I know how you feel. I was in the same position just a couple of months ago. I loved her and I feared she loved someone else. And, it turned out she did. I know how much it hurts, and I want to help you. Not because I want to give Mer her happily ever after, though I want to do that too. It's because I'm your friend." My voice was sincere throughout it all, because I truly meant it. Maxon and I were friends, or at least some form of it.

Maxon takes in a shaky breath. "You want to be my friend?" he asks hopefully.

"Of course I do. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have as a friend."

"It must be because I'm going to be king", he quips, smiling.

"What other reason would I have?" I ask innocently before breaking into a grin.

Maxon suddenly breaks into a brilliant smile. His eyes light up and I can see that he's taking a visit down memory lane.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask curiously.

"It's just that thing you said about not being able to think of anyone you'd rather have as a friend. I said the same thing to America when she first got here." He continues smiling, reliving his memories for a bit longer, leaving me to my thoughts.

And that's when I decided it. Maxon and America were meant to be together. The way he talked about her, he loved her irrevocably. And she felt the same. I vow to try my hardest to get them together.

Maxon shakes his head slightly, jolting out of his trance.

"Anyway", he says. "I had something I wanted to ask you. Are you interested in joining the Maxerica club?"

I can't help the small laugh that escapes me. "The Maxerica club? Don't you think that's a bit too obvious?"

Maxon chuckled quietly. "I'm still working on the name", he admits. "But basically it's a group of people. And our goal is to get America and I together. And then I can make her my rightful queen." I notice that his eyes inhabit a wistful look whenever he thinks of America. It just intensifies my belief that they're meant to be.

"I'd love to join. But I do have a suggestion." Maxon looks wary. "Go on."

"I think out first order of business should be coming up with a better name", I say with a teasing grin. Maxon's eyes immediately lose their tense look. "Great idea."

And then, we start to discuss the more finite details of the club. We make plans to recruit more members and Maxon assigns me the job of asking America's maids to join.

"Ok", I say after we're finished. "So basically our only obstacles are your father, Kriss, and the fact that nobody has ever gone back on their choice of the One."

"I could care less about the last one", he says dismissively. "But the others are top priority. Oh, and there is one other little obstacle we have to face", he says a bit sheepishly.

I sigh, frustrated. "And what would that be?" I ask tiredly.

"Well, it seems that America doesn't trust me at the moment. I have to win her over somehow to even consider putting this plan into action."

I sigh. This was going to be much harder than I had first anticipated.

"Well, you're going to figure out that part on your own. But I'll take over with the planning while you solve that issue."

He nods. "I know. I was wondering if you had any suggestions on how I would go about doing that", he asks hopefully.

I shake my head. "Sorry, no. America is a force to be reckoned with it", I say, an amused smile playing on my lips. "But I know that if she truly loves you, she'll forgive you."

Maxon nods, seeming unencouraged.

"Maxon, seriously, don't worry. I've seen the way she looks at you. She loves you too much to hold a grudge. She'll come around eventually. You'll see."

Maxon nods again, slightly more reassured.

Suddenly, we hear voices from the other side of the hall. It sounds an awful lot like the rotation of the guards. I steal a quick glance at the clock and my jaw drops open. I've been gone for nearly an hour!

"I'm sorry Maxon but I have to get back to my shift", I apologize.

"No worries", he says, lost in thought. He wanders over to his bed and takes a seat on it.

"Good luck", I wish him. He gives a grunt of assertion. I then slip through the door, hurrying back to my post, my head filled with thoughts about Maxon and America. My last view of Maxon is him holding in his head in his hands.

 _Don't give up yet Maxon,_ I think.

 **Yay! Maxon and Aspen are friends! And preparations for the Maxerica club are underway. Please submit any ideas you may have for a better name. I need them! I hope you liked this chapter! Next chapter will be America because he haven't heard much from her for awhile. Please review your thoughts. Stay tuned! Bye!**


	11. Sisters

**Hey guys! I'm really sorry I haven't been able to update for a couple of months. I really don't have any sort of excuse, life's just been a little too much lately. But, the good news is that A Second Chance has hit 1K reads! Yay! I'd like to thank everyone who has read, voted, and commented on this story. And of course, everyone who has added it to their reading list. Without you guys my story wouldn't have spread to new readers. Thank you to all of you for reading my story and tolerating me and my infrequent updating. You guys are amazing and this story wouldn't have been able to reach this milestone without you guys. Anyway, I had to post a new chapter to thank you guys and here it is. Enjoy!**

 _America POV_

I dried off the last of my tears and stood up, brushing off any dust that covered my dress. I walked over to the couch and sat down, curling into a little ball.

"Ames are you okay?" a voice asked. I looked up to see my almost identical looking younger sister looking at me with concern. I sighed and gave her a watery smile. "Yeah. I'm fine. Things just didn't...go the way I thought they would", I admitted.

May's eyes softened, filled with sympathy. "Oh, Ames. He never deserved you." Her eyes adopted a fierce look and I was warmed by her protectiveness of me, especially since I usually played that role. "Weren't you the one who had your heart set on us getting married?" I asked teasingly, my lips curling into a watery smile.

May looked flustered for a second when reminded of her crush on Maxon. "Well that was before he chose Kriss. Honestly, he's a complete idiot for choosing her over you. You've got to realize how rare a girl like you is Ames." I flushed. "You don't know how many times since the Choosing Ceremony that I've heard some sort of variation of that sentence." May and I both laughed in synchronization.

Suddenly I noticed how eerily quiet the house was. "Where's everyone else?" I questioned. "Oh! Mom dragged them all outside to visit the Legers'. To give you and Maxon some privacy. It was my idea." She beamed proudly.

I sighed. "I guess that was a wasted effort." May's expression melted into a frown. "You're right. Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? That was really sweet of you guys. It's not your fault that I screwed everything up."  
May nodded once and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug, so close that I could smell the strawberry shampoo she was so fond of- the same one I used. Then, a thought struck me and I pulled away in confusion.

"Wait, if Mom dragged everyone to the Legers' why are you still here?"

"I said that someone needed to stay here with you so you weren't all alone when Maxon left. Mom agreed. Plus, if I hadn't stayed there would be no one here to comfort you right now", she responded quickly. Perhaps to quickly to be telling the complete truth.

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you didn't stay here to eavesdrop on our conversation?" I asked teasingly. May flushed at the suggestion. "Of course not!" she exclaimed. I gave her a pointed look. "Fine", she huffed. "That may have been a contributing factor." I chuckled and then we fell into a comfortable silence.

About 15 minutes later, May's face lit up. I could tell she had an idea. "Do you want to see some of my artwork? You missed a lot when you were gone for the Selection." I smiled, ignoring the pain I felt in my chest when she mentioned the Selection. "Of course", I said, pushing myself off the couch. May grabbed my hand and dragged me towards our studio in the garage, all the while urging me to hurry up. I grinned at her enthusiasm. When we reached the studio and walked over to May's corner of it. My eyes watered as we passed Dad's section of the studio, the memory of his death still fresh in my mind.

When I caught up to May I was met by a row of easels, each covered by a paint splattered white sheet. May stood at one end of the row, her hand ready to pull up the sheet to unveil her first work. I chuckled, May did always have a flair for the dramatics. "Ready?" she questioned. I nodded and she pulled of the sheet. "Voilà!" she exclaimed, gesturing to the painting propped on the easel. It depicted a beautiful autumn day, the sky painted in hues of orange and red and multicolored leaves descending in the air. There was a small rabbit nestled in a pile of leaves and a smiling red-haired girl sitting against a tree trunk, sketching something on the pad in her lap. "C'est trés magnifique!" I gushed, imitating her style of speaking in French.

May blushed. "Merci beaucoup!" she said, still following the pattern of speaking in French. She then went down the row, presenting many more breathtaking art pieces, each one as fabulous as the first one. When she was done I gave her a round of applause and her cheeks flooded with color once again. "Honestly, May these are all absolutely beautiful. You've become even more talented since I left to the Selection. Maybe me not being there to distract you let you helped" I joked. May giggled. "Maybe", she teased.

"So, what else have you been working on? Anything new?" I asked.

May sighed. "Not really. I haven't been able to paint anything since Dad died. It just doesn't feel right working in his studio without him here", she admitted.

My heart broke at her confession. "Oh, May!" I exclaimed, rushing over to her and wrapping my arms around her. "Don't worry about it. It's normal. I can't imagine if I would ever be able to play again if something happened to Mom. Just know that you can't keep all that talent locked up in there forever. And I know that Dad would have never wanted you to quit painting just because something happened to him." May smiled up at me, her eyes brimming with tears. "Thanks, Ames. You always now just what to say to make me feel better."

I shrugged, hugging her tighter. "That's what sisters are for." May smiled at me, burying her head in my chest. I felt the wetness of her tears, soaking my shirt. "It's ok May", I soothed. "He loved you so much." I could feel my own tears of own coming on but I blinked them away for May's sake.

After a minute, May pulls away, drying her eyes. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get so emotional", she apologizes. Instead of replying, I grabbed her hand and squeezed it once- hoping it conveyed my feelings. Slowly, we walked back to the empty living room, settling down on the couch. Neither of us spoke and it wasn't long until I got lost in my thoughts.

"Celeste called", May said suddenly. "Oh, did she?" I asked, as airily as I could. May nodded in affirmation. I dropped the pretense. "It better not be another blind date", I said. May looked surprised. "No. Not at all. Quite the opposite actually. She planned a girls day out and was wondering if you wanted to come."

"Oh", I said, pleasantly surprised. "That actually sounds really fun. Is it just us three?" I asked. "Oh, I'm not going. Celeste said it was some of the old girls from the Selection. I'm not really included. Besides, I've got plans today. I'm going to start a new piece", she said with a grin.

"Good for you May. I knew you wouldn't be able to quit painting for long. It's your passion." May smiled at me. "I wouldn't have been able to do it if you hadn't convinced me." I laughed and thanked her. "So, who is coming to this girls day out?" I asked.

"Basically all the Elite. Obviously, Kriss isn't coming. So it's you, Natalie, Elise, and Celeste." Though I knew it wasn't possible, I still had to ask. "Marlee?" I questioned, my hope already dying. May's face fell. "I'm sorry Ames. She's still an Eight, she can't risk coming." The fact that I already knew this was coming made the pain of her words a little easier to handle. "I know, just wishful thinking", I sighed.

May gave me a sad smile. "Sorry", she said again. "Don't. I get it. Besides, it'll still be really fun", I said, perking up.

"Anyway, where are we going?" I asked. May shrugged. "I don't know. Celeste said it was a surprise. But she guaranteed that you'd love it." I was kind of scared, but I knew Celeste knew how to plan a good time. Suddenly we hear a bang as the door opens. "We're home!" Mom calls. "Is it safe to enter?" she calls from right outside the living room. "You and Maxon aren't up to anything are you?" she asks warningly.

I blush furiously at her suggestive comment and beside me May giggles quietly, using a pillow to muffle the sound. After Mom still doesn't enter I realize that she's waiting for an answer. "Just come in, Mom." Mom walks in and her expression turns into one of surprise when she is greeted by the sight of May and I sitting next to each other on the couch.

"Where's Maxon honey? Did he leave already?" she asked, her face colored with confusion. May and I share a look, my face pained- unable to say what happened. May looks equally lost for words. Mom catches the look and seems to understand the situation perfectly without us even saying a word, walking over to me and hugging me tightly.

"Oh, sweetie. It's ok. Princes are jerks", she said, an undertone of anger in her voice. I laughed weakly at her attempt of comforting me. Though I did have to admit, insulting Maxon did make me feel slightly better. "Come on America, let's go eat some dinner. Get your mind off of this", she said, taking my hand and pulling me towards the kitchen. May and the others followed suit. I made your favorite!" she sang.

Once we entered the kitchen the delicious aroma of freshly made chicken alfredo wafted towards me and my mouth immediately starting watering. Mom led me towards the table and we all took our seats, each one with a hefty serving of chicken alfredo on a plate in front of it. "Wow! Thanks so much Mom, this is amazing!" I exclaimed. Mom blushed and said "It was nothing."

"How were you able to make this much?" I asked, remembering how we had to always ration food before. "Well, the money we received from your participation in the Selection was really helpful", she replied.

"It's nice to know that at least something good came from it", I muttered under my breath. Mom heard and her face immediately fell. "Don't say that honey", she said, shaking her head. "The money is nice but it's not worth you getting your heart broken."

"Well there's no way to reverse that one", I said gloomily. Mom frowned. "Don't be so pessimistic", she berated me.

"Sorry", I apologized. "Can we...can we just eat?" I asked. "Quietly", I added pointedly. Mom looked taken aback by my blunt attitude and nodded once in shock. No one else put up a fight either. We then ate in silence, the only sounds heard were mouths chewing and forks scraping against plates. When I was finished I excused myself to my room, ignoring the worried look Mom and Kenna exchanged.

I settled myself on my bed, staring up at the ceiling of my room. It was painted a pale pink and was decorated by multiple little glow in the dark stars Dad had put up there when we were younger. Remembering that memory of Dad didn't really hurt, unlike when we had walked past his painting supplies earlier. I was confused about why my emotions were changing so frequently, but Aspen had said that it was on and off.

Thinking about Aspen made me think about his relationship with Lucy which reminded me of the palace, which in turn reminded me of Maxon. I didn't know whether to love him or hate him. I got consumed in memories of our time together, each one bringing fresh tears to my eyes. I blinked them back with a new resolve. I was done thinking about Maxon. We could never be together anyway. Tomorrow I would go on the girls day with the rest of the Elite and I would have the time of my life. Maxon had no place in my life anymore. From now on, I would make sure to fill my life with laughter and happiness. And that started with having a blast with my friends tomorrow.

 **And that's the end of chapter 11! It wasn't much, just some sisterly time between America and May but I hope you guys enjoyed it! I'm sorry if it wasn't amazing, I just really wanted to get something out to you guys. Next chapter will be the girls days out. And Marlee may or may not be making a surprise appearance. (wink wink nudge nudge) Anyway, thank you guys again for over 1K reads! The next chapter will probably be posted within the next week. Bye!**


	12. Hurt

**Hey guys! Time for the next chapter! Girls day out! :) I know it's been over a week, I was traveling so I didn't have time to write. But now I'm in India so hopefully I'll have a chapter out every few days, or at least once a week. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this next chapter!**

 _America POV_

The next morning I woke up to see the bright sunlight filtering through my window and heard birds chirping beautiful melodies. I looked next to me for my sister but the other side of the bed was empty. May must have woken up early to continue her new piece. I smiled when I was reminded of last night. May and I had stayed up for hours just talking and having fun together as sisters, it was really a breath of fresh air for me- a pleasant change from my months at the castle.

As I got up and made the bed, the delicious smell of pancakes drifted towards me. Suddenly my mouth watered and my stomach grumbled as if I hadn't eaten in days. In a way it was true. I hadn't had much of an appetite for the past few days, memories of Maxon and the events of the Choosing Ceremony plaguing my mind. The only real meal I had eaten was when Ethan had taken me to that delicious Italian restaurant. Guilt panged in my chest when I realized how things had been left off between the two of us. His sad smile and the sound of his tires zooming away from my house. I promised myself that I would make it up to him.

Abandoning my task of fixing the bed, I dropped the sheets and pillows on the bed and rushed downstairs. When I made it to my kitchen I found my mom at the stove flipping pancakes and everyone else seated around the table, full plates in front of them. I saw how they stared greedily at the hot food, barely holding back their hunger in order to be polite. When they saw me in the doorway relief settled in their eyes when they realized the wait was over. I chuckled under my breath and went to take my seat next to May.

"Good morning sweetheart", my mother said from across the room, piling a couple pancakes onto her own plate. "Good morning Mom", I replied.

"Hey sleepyhead", Gerad teased, a smile on his face. "Hey yourself, Gerry Berry", I said while ruffling his hair. Gerad squirmed under my grasp and when I removed my hand from his hair he anxiously rearranged the tufts to make them look perfect again. I rolled my eyes at his childish antics though I was secretly glad he still had some time to be a kid.

"How long was I out for?" I questioned. "Over twelve hours", Kenna replied with a smirk. My mouth fell open in shock. I had never slept so long! I knew I had slept early last night but I didn't think I would be asleep for so long. I checked the clock on the wall and saw that it was nearly 10. No wonder everyone was starving.

Mom turned off the stove and carried her plate to the table, taking her own seat next to Gerad. "Bon appetit!" she exclaimed and everyone dug in excitedly. I cut off some of my own pancake and put it in my mouth, swooning at the fluffiness and sweetness. It was then that something caught my eye. An empty seat.

I stared longingly at the empty seat next to Mom which Dad used to occupy. My eyes stung with tears but I pushed them back. Everyone else seemed to have noticed the empty chair as well, their gazes darting over there every now and then. Mom stayed strong, her eyes dry of tears but I noticed the slight shake of her hand as she brought a forkful of pancake to her mouth, the way she hunched over slightly as if there was an unbearably heavy weight on her shoulder.

Kenna's reaction was quite the same as Mom, though I could see her eyes glistened with unshed tears. James put an arm around her, pulling her against him in a comforting embrace. I sensed the love in her eyes for him as she gazed up at him, the same emotion in James' eyes as he held her closer. James didn't know Dad for very long but he even he realized the impact of his loss. He kept furrowing his eyebrows in worry, lines creasing his forehead- and I knew that most of the worry was for Kenna and the rest of us. How we would fare in light of such tragedy.

Shaking her head as if to clear the bad thoughts Kenna put a bright smile on her face and went to put a spoonful of food into her daughter Astra's mouth. Little Astra was the only person at the table with a joyful expression on her face, as opposed to the somber look the rest of us wore. She giggled and gripped the spoon in her chubby fist, trying to put it in her mouth. She wound up getting most of it on her face but Kenna just wiped it away and guided the spoon to her mouth.

May seemed heavily affected by Dad's death, more so than the rest of us. I understood why though. Her and Dad were the painters of the family, always spending time together in her studio creating masterpieces. She must miss his presence in there while she was painting, the assurance that he was always there if she needed it. I felt terrible that every time she walked into the studio and started to paint, which was what she loved, she would be haunted by memories of him. I remember how he would always perfect May's pieces, adding a brush of paint there or changing the hue slightly. He would always walk out he door with paint in his hair and Mom would playfully scold him before lovingly brushing it out.

I felt absolutely heartbroken when I saw Gerad. His head was down and he shoved piece after piece of his pancake in his mouth, as if he couldn't wait to get out of here. As if he stayed any longer he would break down completely. His head was down to hide his face but I detected the tears that fell into his plate once in a while which he desperately tried to brush away.

Gerad hadn't known Dad for very long and it was terribly unfair that he was taken away before he could grow up. He was without a father figure in the time that he needed one the most. I supposed Kota was somewhat of a replacement but he wanted nothing to do with us anymore. And I was perfectly fine keeping it that way. When I glimpsed the fatherly look James gave him as he observed his internal struggle hope blossomed in my chest that he might have a worthy father figure after all.

I directed my attention back to my own plate, my heart aching. I was debating just leaving the rest of it when my stomach growled. Loudly. Everyone chuckled once and I blushed. At least this happened at home and not at the castle where proper etiquette was a must. I had just finished my meal when there was a knock at the door. I looked up in confusion but May stood up, leaving her food at the table. "That must be Celeste", she said, as she strode over to the door to open it.

Sure enough there was Celeste standing there with a bodycon dress, straight as a pin hair, and a knowing smirk on her face. She took in my ragged appearance, my hair down and in tangles and wearing a ratty pair of shorts with an oversized t-shirt with the words MUSICIANS KNOW BETTER printed on it, and frowned.

"Couldn't you at least have worn something a little more decent?" she asked with a sigh. A grin spread on my face at her words. "How can you be sure that this outfit isn't red carpet worthy?" I shot back. "Musicians do know better", I said, gesturing to the lettering on my t-shirt, a victorious smirk playing over my features.

Celeste laughed at that, but not in the genuine way that she would if she were amused. Nope, her laugh sounded more as if she was mocking me. "Oh America. It seems like your sense of style isn't the only thing that needs help. Your sense of humor is pathetic as well." I laughed at that, giving her credit for the quick comeback. I marveled at how the times had changed. Just a couple of months ago Celeste and I were at each other's throats. Now, we were cracking jokes and exchanging easy banter.

"Anyway girl, we have got to get you into something sexier. Plus that bird's nest you call hair needs some taming. I wouldn't be surprised if there were actual birds buried in there." I blushed at her comment about the clothes but it was to be expected, Celeste was nothing if not blunt. I shook my head and laughed quietly under my breath.

"Honestly Celeste, we're going for a girls day out. The whole point is that by the end of the day they will make me look amazing. Why does it matter what I look like before?" Celeste sighed in annoyance as if she thought my perspective was completely wrong. "Appearance is everything America", she stressed. I would have laughed but for the seriousness in her expression. Celeste was the type who would wear a ball gown to go the grocery store.

"Besides you've got to take care of their raw material. If you go in looking like you just walked off the streets they're not going to want anything to do with you. But walk in like a 10 and they'll work miracles. Trust me, I know this stuff. Getting primped is my specialty" she said with a grin. I laughed at the truth in her statement.

"Well come on!" said Celeste in mock irritation. "We haven't got all day. Lead the way!" she said, gesturing wildly to the rooms in the house. I chuckled and padded through the hallways to my new room. Celeste followed me, studying the house- the furniture and the artwork on the walls. "Nice place. Haven't seen many Fives living in houses like this" she commented airily.

And just like that, my heart plummeted. Not at her words, but at the meaning behind her. No regular five could afford this. This house..it was more meant for Twos and Threes, possibly Fours. Not for my family, not for me. I felt like an imposter in this house. In the house that was now my home.

And of course her bringing up the topic of the house reminded me of who gifted it to me. Maxon. At the time we had been engaged, about to get married the next day. I remembered his words at the Choosing Ceremony the next morning. He said I could keep the house but he wanted his letters back.

That reminded me of the letters. Damn, those letters. They showed me how deeply he loved me. Just a few pieces of parchment meant the world to me. I felt a pang in my chest as I realized I had to give them back.

I wondered if I could maybe copy them, a product of my wishful thinking. I immediately dismissed the idea. What made the letters special was not only what they contained but the fact that they were written by him, in his familiar scrawl- a mix of regular print and the elegant cursive he had learned during his schooling. I couldn't copy them, that felt wrong on so many levels. As if I was breaking some type of rule. Besides, the letters were meaningless if I had to read them in my own messy handwriting. They would lose their meaning, they would become meaningless scraps of paper.

Suddenly I felt pain in my right shoulder. I rubbed it absentmindedly as I came back into reality, my eyes blurry until they focused on a figure in front of me. Celeste waving her hand in front of my face. "Ow! Why did you punch me?" I asked angrily. "Well you were off in la la land and I had to make you come back down to Earth. What else was I supposed to do?" she asked indignantly. "Whatever", I said shaking it off. "

You punch hard Celeste", I said, half annoyed, half impressed. "I would hope so. I took karate classes before the Selection." "So you could scare the other girls into letting you win?" I teased. "Why else?" she said with innocence in her eyes. I laughed.

"But seriously, how'd you get the house?" she asked curiously. "Why? You want it?" I asked, avoiding the question. "No. It's too...cozy for me. I'm more into mansions. Seems totally your style though. Now, quit the bullshit and tell me who gave it to you?" It was strange why she was pressing the question so much, as if she knew I was hiding something.

"Someone gave it to me", I said lamely. Celeste waved me on as if to say _who._ "The prince", I squeaked out, my voice barely audible. I refused to say his name. Though my words came out as mush Celeste understood me. Her expression immediately contorted into one of rage.

"That asshole! How dare he give you a house for your family to live in and then _not pick you!_ Does he enjoy hurting you? Enjoy making you live so close just so that you can see how happy him and his new wife are?" she snarled.

"Celeste, please, it's not like that", I said weakly. "The hell it isn't", she said, still livid. "Go get dressed and meet me down in five. I've got some planning to do", she said maliciously and I could practically see the gears turning in her head. "Please don't hurt him", I protested. I may hate him but I still cared about him too much to see him harmed. "By the time I'm done with him he'll be lucky to be alive", she said, her eyes alight and her voice sharp.

 **Done! Sorry it wasn't the girls day our but the story needed this. This chapter just poured out of me, I loved it. An extra long update. I promise next chapter will be the girls day out. How did you guys like protective Celeste? Of course she was as feisty as ever but I loved writing about the side of her who would do anything for her friends. Hope you enjoyed and the next chapter will be up soon. Bye!**


	13. Girls Day Out Part 1

**Hey guys! I'm back with the next chapter. I know i said I would post every few days but I realized that I don't have enough time so I'm going to stick to one chapter a week. This chapter is the girls day out for real! Also, A Second Chance has hit 2K reads! I'm literally speechless right now, thank you guys so much! I don't want to make this ridiculously long so thanks again and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

 _America POV_

I left Celeste in the hallway, seemingly plotting revenge. I realized I hadn't really looked in my closet since we moved into this house so I decided to check it out. I expected to find the same drab clothing that I was used to wearing as a Five but was surprised to find new articles of clothing hanging on the racks- my old clothes nowhere to be seen.

I looked at the brand new clothes confusedly- wondering who could have gotten them for me. My family certainly had no business updating my wardrobe.

"I got them for you", a voice from behind me spoke, causing me to jump. I whirled around and saw Celeste. I hadn't even heard her enter the room.

"I figured that since you're single you needed more attractive clothing to lure in the guys", she said with a wink. I sighed. "Celeste, this is sweet and all but I hardly doubt a guy cares what type of clothes I wear. Besides, if he's anything like regular guys he probably can't wait to tear them off of me." Celeste giggled at the statement, though I hadn't intended it as a joke.

"Plus", I continued. "How can I be sure that the clothes you picked are the type that I would wear. We both know your style isn't as...modest as mine is", I said, indicating her current dress that was skin tight and molded to her body like a second skin. There was no doubt the dress made her figure look stunning- but if the clothes hidden in this closet wear even half as provocative as this dress or the ones she wore during the Selection, well it's safe to say I wouldn't be caught dead wearing them outside the house. I wouldn't even consider wearing them _inside_ the house.

"Just take a look", she said smugly, as if she knew a secret I didn't. Though I really didn't want to, my curiosity took over and I picked out a random piece of clothing from the closet. When I saw it I was pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn't nearly as revealing as Celeste's outfits were. In fact, it was actually kind of cute. I rifled through the rest of the clothes and saw that the rest of the clothes were equally as amazing. There were a few dresses that were a bit suggestive but I figured they were there for a reason.

Turning to Celeste, I admitted "Wow Celeste. I stand corrected. These are fantastic." She smiled at me, in that I-told-you-so sort of way. "Obviously I factored in your sense of style when choosing these. I even put some jeans in there." I considerably brightened at that, her words taking me back to the beginning of the Selection to the deal I made with Maxon and how he had given me what I asked for even though I had lost. The thought of Maxon didn't make me as sad as it used to, I only felt a small pang in my chest. I took that a good sign.

Celeste picked a dress for me and tossed it to me along with some flats. The dress itself was a deep blue that was fitted at the top while the skirt flared out, stopping an inch above my knees. It had a bit of designed lace at the neck that gave it a sort of fancy type of feel. The shoes were flats that were the same color as the dress and had little golden bows at the toes. All together it was an incredibly cute outfit.

"I remembered how much you loved blue back during the Selection", she said innocently with a shrug. "It seemed that you seemed to like it pretty well too. You tried to copy me", I teased. "Well what was I supposed to do? The prince loved you", she replied. I blushed but it disappeared as quickly as it had come when I was reminded that wasn't true anymore.

"Sorry about that though. I was jealous and couldn't understand how the prince could like _you_ over _me_. Ripping your dress probably wasn't the best way to handle it though", she apologized. I shrugged. "It's fine. It's over." She nodded but I could tell she still felt bad.

I walked towards the bathroom to change. I looked in the mirror and smiled at the result, the dress looked quite flattering on me. The color was a nice contrast to my pale skin and fiery red hair. I brushed out my hair so it was shiny and tangle-free, leaving it down so. I left my face bare since I had a feeling that we would be receiving full makeovers today during our girls day out.

"Ok, I'm ready", I announced as I walked back into my bedroom. Celeste was rearranging my closet and looked up when I walked in. She gave an approving nod and led the way back into the hallway. We kept up a conversation as we walked to the front door and I waved goodbye to my family as I exited the door. Obviously, Celeste had a car parked in front of my house, proving her status as a Two. It was sleek and sophisticated just like her, and was painted a black as dark as the night sky.

"Hop in", she said, getting into the car and gesturing for me to do the same. "Where's everyone else?" I asked. "Natalie? Elise?" wondering where the rest of our friends were. "They're going to meet us there. It's faster than me picking up everyone in my car."

"Oh ok", I said. "Then why didn't we all just meet there? You didn't have to pick me up. I could've walked, it would save even more time."

"No, you wouldn't know where to go. Plus, the places I booked us are miles away from your house. I wouldn't let my friend walk all the way there."

I just nodded, glad she had saved me from a couple of hours of walking. My legs would definitely be thankful for that. We got in the midnight colored car and when Celeste signaled to the driver he pulled the ignition and started off down the road. Celeste showed me the mini fridge in the corner of the car that held a variety of finger food and miniature cans of soft drinks. I helped myself to some cheese and crackers and immediately grabbed a bottle of the delicious Coke that I had tried on my dinner date with Ethan.

After about a half hour we reached our first stop, a little spa called Luxury Dreams. Strange name but I had no doubt they would deliver on it considering Celeste had picked the place and would never settle for second best.

We got out of the car and the it sped away. We walked through the door and it jingled to signal that we had entered. We garnered the attention of the lady at the desk and the two customers waiting on the sofa, one beautiful blonde and one girl with clear New Asian ties.

"America!" they screamed and they ran over to me, engulfing me in a huge hug. "We missed you so much", Natalie said, acting as bubbly as usual. "We did", Elise piped in, her voice far quieter- though not lacking in excitement. "I missed you guys so much too", I said earnestly. "It's great to see you again", I said with a huge smile.

Somebody cleared their throat and we turned to see Celeste standing in the corner looking at us. To any outsider she looked as confident as ever but I could detect that she felt a little bit awkward seeing our joyful reunion and not being a part of it. I immediately felt bad for not including her.

"No hugs for me" she quipped, a bit half-heartedly. Natalie immediately wraps her arms around her. Even though she hadn't been there when Celeste had apologized to Elise, Kriss, and I she was never one to hold a grudge. Besides I don't think Celeste had ever done anything to try and deliberately get her out of the competition since she probably never saw naive and aloof Natalie as a threat.

Celeste clumsily wrapped her arms around Natalie, and it was obvious that she had never really given anybody a hug. Affection didn't seem to be something she was comfortable with. I knew her time with Maxon had mainly been spent trying to seduce him, they probably had never done anything as sweet as hugging or holding hands.

I went to join in on the group hug, wrapping my arms around both Celeste and Natalie. Celeste seemed slightly more at ease once I had joined and it wasn't just her and Natalie. Elise seemed reluctant at first- mostly because she and Celeste were in strange territory. Celeste had repeatedly tried to make Elise's time at the palace hell and force her to bow out of the competition. She had never succeeded since Elise never wavered.

Elise also didn't seem to be much for physical contact either. She was more reserved. I even remember her telling us when it was almost the end of the Selection that her and Maxon had only shared three kisses.

After a few seconds she joined in, probably because she felt awkward just standing there. I felt giddy inside at this strange friendship. Just a couple of months ago we were all competing for the prince's heart. Now that the competition was over we were about to enjoy a whole day together as best friends. I knew not all was forgiven and things would be tense at times, but Amberly was right when she said the girls I once regarded as my fiercest competition, sometimes even enemies in Celeste's case, would become by best friends by the end of it. I felt a pang in my chest when I realized Marlee was missing all of it.

The girl at the desk coughed as she tried to get our attention. Celeste noticed first and she extricated herself from our tight hug, her cheeks tinged with a light shade of pink. The rest of us untangled ourselves as well, happy to see each other but slightly embarrassed at our extremely public display. It didn't seem like the type of thing that the women who came to this spa usually did upon meeting each other. They probably exchanged air hugs and air kisses. I rolled my eyes.

A lady came out the front door and when she spotted Celeste she came rushing towards us. "Celeste! It's so good to see you!" she gushed. Celeste smiled, a genuine one, and greeted the woman- whose name I learned was Marie- with equally as much enthusiasm. Marie then noticed Natalie, Elise, and I and once again gushed at how she was so privileged to be treating four of the former Selected, though I could tell Celeste was a regular based on the way Marie greeted her.

We were then led to a little room in the back of the place. Celeste explained that we all had the full package- which included a massage, a facial, and an hour in their sauna. I smiled when I heard this, a day of relaxation was just what I needed. Marie then said that we all were in separate but adjacent rooms for our massages.

We all retreated into our separate rooms and Marie told us to strip and wear the little robe on the rod in the corner of the room. She said that our masseuses would be with us shortly. I was kind of nervous to strip in front of a stranger but I didn't really have a choice. I was used to being naked in front of my maids but that was needed and I had gotten comfortable after a while. Now they were my best friends.

After a lot of hesitation and thinking I decided to let go of my insecurities and just do it. I piled my clothes in the diner of a room and wore the little blue robe that they had given me, tying it securely around my waist. I then sat down on the edge of the table and waited for the masseuse to arrive.

A short while later I heard a knock on the door and a lady let herself in. She was an older lady who was quite short with kind eyes and laugh lines around her mouth. She had a bit of a welcoming aura around her and it melted my nerves away.

"Lie down", she said and I obliged. She then got to work massaging my body, working out the tension and the stress. It was extremely relaxing and it left me feeling so much better. All thoughts of Maxon and the Selection left my mind and I was stress free. "You seem to be very stressed", the woman commented lightly, though I saw a frown creasing her features. I chuckled and tried to play it off as a lot of work so she wouldn't be too worried. She saw through me and she obviously knew who I was but she didn't say anything else. Probably out of politeness or a respect for customer's privacy or something along those lines.

After about another 15 minutes of pure bliss she said that she was finished. I got off of the table and walked out of the door and was met by the rest of my friends who seemed relaxed and at ease as well. We then went for facials that rejuvenated my skin and gave it a healthy glow. Afterwards we got our time in the sauna which was hot and gave us time to catch up.

We talked about our life and how it was at the moment. Elise talked about her parents' reaction to her not being Selected and how they were mad at fort but got over it at the end. Natalie talked about how things were slowly getting better at her house though they were still mourning her sisters unexpected death at the hands of the rebels. Celeste's life was as lavish as always and she had modeled for a magazine a couple of days ago. I expressed how much I wished Marlee could be a part of this and they all agreed. Neither Maxon nor the Selection was brought up and I was fine on keeping it that way.

After our designated time was up we got out and wrapped ourselves in our towels and went back to the room to get dressed again. Then we went to the front desk where Celeste paid for the visit. She swiped her credit card and I looked away so I didn't have to see the total. This place seemed really high-end and I had a feeling that the price was much more than I could make it at a week's worth of gigs combined. Marie then gave us an equally cheery goodbye and waved us out of the store. We then piled into the backseat of Celeste's spacious car. We simultaneously looked towards Celeste to hear the next destination since she hasn't specified any schedule or where exactly we were going.

"Next stop, manis and pedis!" she announced with a smile on her face.

 **So this chapter was getting really long and I couldn't fit the whole thing in one so I decided to split it into 2. I hope you enjoyed and this chapter was half at America's house and half girls day out but next chapter will be full girls day out! I don't know how long it will be but it will probably be pretty lengthy. Anyway l, I hope you enjoyed and don't forget to vote if you liked it. Thanks again for 2K reads! Bye!**


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